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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Soaked Hay

Today I have decided to start soaking my horse’s hay. Or at least, that’s what it looks like.

Today they were predicted showers, not unremitting downpours. In fact, it was a paltry 40% chance of showers.

Today I bought hay, since at approximately 11 am it looked like this forecast was accurate. Although it was overcast, it wasn’t raining. I had plenty of time to buy hay, go to my (working) lunch, and unload hay at the stable.

As you can imagine, that neat little plan started to rapidly disintegrate (much like my bales, currently in the back of the pick up) the moment I walked into the feedstore.

They had only 2 bales of the hay I feed.

Then it started to sprinkle.

I was faced with a choice. Buy 2 bales, which will get me through next week when they are expecting a load – but risk them getting wet….OR return tomorrow (which is the date I really do need that hay!), hope it’s dry AND hope no one else has bought the bales.

I bought the bales.

I parked in downtown and went to my lunch.

It started to torrentially downpour.

Lunch ran late.

I had to go directly back to the plant instead of unloading hay.

It rained even harder.

I texted my co-worker (and fellow livestock owner) and asked the rhetorical question – “I have hay in the back of my truck. Do u think they r getting wet?”

It continued to pour. And pour and pour and pour.

Finally, after a surprisingly busy day I’m at home. The hay still isn’t unloaded, it’s still raining, and (surprise!) the hay is wet.

In hindsight, I perhaps had a lapse of judgment. However, considering it is 9pm and I worked 1am-5am, 9a-3:30p shift today, I’m thinking that if the hay is the only causality of the day, I’m doing pretty good.

On the other hand, I’ve had bales get soaked in downpours (like the one in the back of my truck coming home from the Nevada ride last season) that ended up just fine to feed.

More tragic is the fact my horse’s feet didn’t get done today, AGAIN. I missed my farrier’s appointment last week and it’s time for me to pull on my big girl mud boots and get the job done myself.

Kindle

About

Welcome to the Boots and Saddles blog. "Boots and saddles" describes a horse of(f) course - my experiences in the endurance world, as a veterinary student, and as a life long student of the horse. This blog is part of a larger endurance information site, which promotes renegade hoof boots and education for riders in their first 1000 endurance miles. I hope that you are entertained, informed, and inspired.

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I wish I had thought of that!

Honoring perceptive reader's outstanding comments:

Funder: I swear, endurance is the sport of tying as much random crap on a dirty horse as possible, then riding til you chafe your thighs raw.
Elizabeth Funderburk: You're not tough just because you can destroy your body faster than everybody else around you. That is a ridiculously difficult thing for me to remember...You can be plenty tough without being dumb...
Bethany Faubel: Funder's right: being tough doesn't mean being damaged before you have a chance at senility. Otherwise, we would be calling all professional boxer/wrestlers not only tough but intelligent as well...
Sharlene, verbally
"Endurance is a series of small disasters, interspersed with larger disasters. The sport of endurance is your ability to solve and learn and prevent them. (and enjoy the process)"

AareneX on 2010 Goals:
"I will not be discouraged by setbacks in 2010, but will use them as training opportunities for successes in the future."

JB on Revelation 7"More then just bruised ego's are at stake in endurance, as the horses whole life and well being is on the line".